2006 Notre Dame Football: Great Expectation Ends With A Blah Feeling
…while the season was good, with another big bowl trip and a big year from quarterback Brady Quinn, the ultimate lack of big wins left a “blah” feeling with the Irish faithful.
Sports History Articles
The 1993 Boston Red Sox Contend & Then Fade In August
The 1993 Boston Red Sox were a team coming off a last-place finish with a second-year manager in Butch Hobson that needed to prove himself. The ’93 Red Sox looked like they make a run at it and hung in the race longer than expected, but an August and September fade did them in.
Offensive Woes Sink The 1980 Washington Redskins
The loyal and passionate fan base of the Washington Redskins had endured frustration from 1977-79. All three seasons saw the Redskins be in position to make the playoffs on the final week of the season, only to come up short. The 1980 Washington Redskins solved the problem, but not in the way anyone wanted
1980 World Series: It Was A Long Time Coming For The Phillies & Royals
The Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals each had been through their share of trials to get the World Series. The Phils and Royals made the League Championship Series each year from 1976-78, and lost all three times. They both broke through together and it was the Phillies who took the final step in the 1980 World Series.
The 1980 Houston Astros Win A Race To The Wire…And Beyond
Bill Virdon took over as manager late in 1975, got them to the .500 level soon after and in 1979, they chased the Cincinnati Reds to the final weekend of the season. The 1980 Houston Astros took the next step and won the old NL West—but not before giving the fan base collective heart failure before it was over.
The 1980 NLCS: The Best League Championship Series Ever Played
When you hear “Phillies-Astros” as a playoff matchup, it doesn’t jump off the charts as a marquee possibility. But in the 1980 NLCS, these two teams staged a playoff battle that ranks at or near the top of the greatest postseason series ever played.
Fourth Time’s The Charm: The Royals Finally Beat The Yankees In The 1980 ALCS
Meeting up in the American League Championship Series was becoming old hat for the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals. When they met in the 1980 ALCS it was the fourth time in five years these two teams had squared off for the pennant. This one had a different outcome—while the Yankees had won each of the previous three meetings, the Royals got this one. And while the previous matchups had been thrillers, this one ended in a sweep.
The Rebound Season Of The 1980 New York Yankees
The New York Yankees won three straight American League pennants and two consecutive World Series from 1976-78. The franchise suffered a step back in 1979 on the field, finishing fourth in a competitive AL East, and they lived through tragedy off of it—the death of catcher and team captain Thurman Munson in private plane crash. Nothing could make up for that loss, but the 1980 New York Yankees were able to turn the on-field part of the equation around, winning another AL East title.
The 1980 Kansas City Royals Win A Well-Earned American League Pennant
The Royals were the pre-eminent team of the old AL West in the late 1970s. They won the division each year from 1976-78, but lost the League Championship Series to the New York Yankees each time. After a step back in 1979 resulted in a second-place finish, the organization made changes. Whether it was by cause or coincidence, the changes resulted in a breakthrough. The 1980 Kansas City Royals finally made the World Series.
1991 Boston Red Sox: Joe Morgan’s Farewell Season
That Joe Morgan took over in 1988, led the memorable “Morgan’s Magic” summer and won a pair of AL East titles. His tenure was short, and ended after 3 ½ seasons. The 1991 Boston Red Sox looked like they might cook up some more magic, before fading at the end.
2004 Notre Dame Football: The Willingham Regime Crashes
Another coaching tenure that began in South Bend with high expectations came crashing to the ground in 2004. Ty Willingham’s first year of 2002 had seen Notre Dame rise to #4 in the polls in late October. But they finished that season poorly, endured a losing campaign in 2003 and when the 2004 Notre Dame football team proved to be mediocre, Willingham was told to pack his bags.
1974 Washington Redskins: Sonny Jurgensen’s Last Ride
Sonny Jurgensen was one of the great quarterbacks in NFL history, and has a plaque in Canton. His last ride came with the 1974 Washington Redskins. And at age 40, Sonny was often called on in relief of starter Billy Kilmer. “Jurgy” started some of the season’s significant games and he was critical in pushing the Redskins into the playoffs for the fourth straight year under head coach George Allen.